Manners Are For the Plain
by acetamide
Summary: Someone is captured by Voldemort's followers to lure someone else. Challengefic. Note came 1st place.


I'm back, people... just to let you know, OSotLG has NOT moved an inch. So ideas are still needed.

Here's the first challenge I did for 3rd Floor Corridor.

* * *

I know as soon as I touch the letter that I'm a fool.

Cursing myself as the Portkey whirls me away to some other destination, I don't even have the presence of mind to draw my wand as soon as I am back on solid ground. Before I can even blink, there is a flash of red light and my wand goes flying from my pocket into the trees to my left. I turn quickly, looking for my attacker, but I can't see anyone. I seem to have been brought to a place in the middle of nowhere, as I can see no evidence of people. There is a large forest looming over one side, and through the night air I can see an old stone wall beside a muddy ditch. Rain is pouring down all around me, and quite soon my hair is sticking uncomfortably to my forehead.

"Where are you?" I call angrily. It would be rather annoying if my attacker were to just leave me here in the cold, wet dark with no idea where I am. I growl without realising it. "Accio wand!" I try hopefully, but my wandless magic is not that far advanced, and I know it. I try to quell the unpleasant feeling of panic rising in my gut.

I whip around as I hear a crack behind me. Squinting through the slanted rain, I can make out what I think is a figure standing near the forest. I take a step backwards, and hit something solid. Stumbling forwards again, I look over my shoulder and gasp.

Unfortunately for me, Lucius Petrifies me before I can process the information, so I am still slightly confused as he moves me towards the wall, my feet dragging awkwardly on the sodden ground, robes splattered with mud. He drops me rather unceremoniously in front of the wall and arranges me in a parody of care. The cold earth seeps through my robes to my back and legs, but the hex prevents me from shivering to ease the cold. Lucius is not thoughtful enough to cast a Warming Charm for me. He does, however, free my facial muscles.

I watch as more Death Eaters Apparate to the area and, after a brief word with Lucius, one by one retreat into the forest opposite me. They blend so well into the background of the trees that I have trouble seeing them, even though I know they're there. The rain still comes, slicking down my hair and running down my face, and I am unable to wipe the drops away as they stream over my cheeks like tears. I think I'm colder now than I can ever remember being. It's a cold different to the dungeons. The dungeons cold is familiar, and comforting, if a little damp. This cold goes right through to my bones. It's not something I particularly enjoy.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" I ask Lucius coldly as the last of his comrades slip into the darkness. He turns and regards me with an amused gaze. I try to glare back but the rain falling into my eyes forces me to blink rapidly. He laughs at me.

"I don't need to explain myself to you." he sneers. I snort derisively.

"Forgive me, but it's at this point where the raving psychotic usually spills his plans to the helpless victim. I presumed you would follow stereotype."

"When did you become so cynical?" he asks softly. That wasn't what I was expecting.

"I've been at school for nearly seven years."

"And so dry. Goodness, you're not at all as I remember."

"Fuck off, Lucius." I snap caustically. He raises an eyebrow.

"My, aren't you rude this evening?" he says slowly. I feel my lip curl in an almost involuntary sneer.

"Only plain people need manners. The extraordinary can get away with anything." I reply snottily, and to my disappointment, he laughs. I scowl at him, and he finds that amusing as well.

"Yes, you always did find yourself above others, didn't you?" he muses, still smiling. "But no worry. Our Master will soon remedy your disillusion." He says nastily, and I feel a slow know a fear begin to unwind and spread in my stomach. I have met the Dark Lord before, of course, but never in circumstances I haven't properly understood. And the look on Lucius' face tells me I'm not going to have much fun this time around.

"You never did answer my question." I point out. Lucius sighs in a rather exaggerated manner.

"Your presence here will no doubt bring the traitor running. Minus the Order, of course. He's meant to be in charge of you – he's too proud to go to them for help."

"Couldn't you just send him a letter, summoning him?" I asked, curious now as to why exactly they need me in particular.

"Because, you stupid child, he's not that idiotic! He would realise immediately what was happening!" he snarls viciously and I look away, suitably cowed. "Now, let's get you moved."

Confused, I don't complain as Lucius arranges me so I am lying alongside the wall, mud matting my hair. He frees my head muscles and I roll my neck gratefully. He stands up and smirks nastily at me.

"Now we just have to wait."

After a while the sound of the rain is blocked out as my brain numbs out the hissing. The cold has ceased to be cold, and is now just a state of being. All I can see it the sky, unless I turn my head, then I can see Lucius standing smugly against the backdrop of the forest, where the Death Eaters have retired and will no doubt be returning from sooner or later.

Behind the wall, I hear the crack of someone Apparating and my insides clench painfully. I plead to the Gods that it's someone else, or that he has at least had the sense to bring reinforcements. I know he won't have done though. Like Lucius said – he's too proud.

"Ah, Severus. So kind of you to grace us with your presence." Lucius says sarcastically. I hear Snape moving towards me, twigs snapping underfoot, but Lucius raises his wand and Snape stops.

"Where is he?"

I can almost imagine his expression – angry lines and mouth barely opening as he speaks. I've seen such a pose many times before.

"He's safe. But now that he has fulfilled his purpose, I'm not sure what to do with him…" he drawls lazily, twirling his wand between those long fingers.

"You're not seriously going to harm him, are you?" Snape asks incredulously, and narrows his eyes. "You wouldn't dare. The Dark Lord wants him alive, and you know it." He hisses.

Lucius scowls heavily. He raises his wand, but before he can utter a word there is a shot of red light as Snape Stuns him. Lucius falls to the ground, blond hair spread out like a mock halo around his head. Then rather suddenly Snape bends down beside him. I hear him fumble in his robes over the hissing of the rain, and when he stands, I can see a knife shining with coppery blood in the moonlight.

I stare, horrified, as he stands slowly and looks at me with blank eyes, squinting through the rain. He walks over to me, boots squelching unpleasantly in the mud, and bends down beside me too, knife brandished. For a split second I nearly think he's going to do the same to me, but then he puts it away and releases me from the hex. Standing up straight, I ignore the grime that coats my robes and dry my face – futile, really, since it just gets wetter. He narrows his eyes and points his wand at me.

He casts a rather long, complicated string of charms on me and I wince as the Disillusionment charm is cast. I never did like the feel of it. He motions towards the wall and I obey, completely silent even to my own ears. I know that they'll hear me if I talk though. But hopefully, the Dark Lord will be too engrossed in his meeting to notice my presence before Snape can Apparate me away.

I watch from behind the wall as the other Death Eaters slowly emerge from the forest. They see Lucius' prone body lying in the mud and one by one draw their wands, forming a circle around the Potions Master. He glares at them all as they surround him suspiciously. In the dark, they cannot see the slowly growing pool of blood.

"What did you do to him?" one asks. I recognise his voice as Avery. Snape regards him coolly, not belying an inch of the fear he must be feeling.

"He is stunned."

A single word, and Snape is writhing on the floor in agony as the Unforgivable holds him in its grip. I want to look away, but I can't – for some reason I am compelled to watch as he slowly loses his mind, screams cutting straight though my head until…

"Stop!"

His voice. The one that haunts my nightmares.

Snape stops screaming and his eyes snap open. He is breathing heavily, face smeared with mud and filth as he stares fearfully up at the Dark Lord. He knows better than to hide his emotions from his Master.

"I have no time for pleasantries, Severus." He snaps, high-pitched and awful. Snape flinches, but makes no move to defend himself or escape. I silently scream at him to do something.

"You have betrayed us." The Dark Lord says slowly, and still Snape doesn't move. The Death Eaters are just as still. "You will pay for your treachery." He finishes matter-of-factly.

I can't stand it. I know I shouldn't, but I can't watch him suffer endless torture just because I was fool enough to take a letter that I didn't recognise. Standing up, I leap over the wall, drawing my wand angrily.

"Avada Kedavra!" I scream, and I thank the gods that I have had sufficient practise. The nearest Death Eater – Nott, I think – crumples to the ground. That's as far as I get before theycast a Full Body-Bind onme.

"Well, well, well." The Dark Lord says slowly, pacing around me. My heartbeat is going so fast that I swear my chest is about to explode. He's looking at me as though he's deciding just how to destroy me.

Bringing everything to the forefront of my mind, I force forward all my inner magic, like Dumbledore showed me last year, in case these circumstances were to arise. I can feel the massive blast of power, and I hope that it will be enough for Snape to escape.

He knows what I'm about to do.

"Draco, no!"

A flash of bright green light.

I know I'm screaming, but there's no point stopping now.

* * *

Hee hee... feel proud of yourself if you realised who it was that had been capture before the end!

Comment very much appreciated and extremely welcome.

smokey


End file.
